Its hard to explain my job before the race to people. I worked at Ferris State University’s Early Learning Center, a lab school for the early childhood education students at Ferris. So essentially, me and my co-teacher ran our classroom like any other classroom; but, we were continually observed by students so they could learn how to teach. We also had practicum students and interns who worked in our classroom and we coached them into becoming better teachers and evaluated them.
It’s still confusing when people ask the age I taught, I taught infant and toddlers, and college students. It’s even more confusing when there is a language barrier!! With all of that being said, the easiest way to say it is to just say I was a teacher, which translates to profesora!
Also this month we are working in classrooms in the mornings so now 22 children call me profesora, so now I truly feel like I’m officially a profesora!
The school is called L.K. Wolter Academia Cristiana. It has two three year old classrooms, two four year old classrooms and one five year old classroom. The school also plans on expanding into having elementary aged children in the years to come! We decided after our first day that we wanted to stay in our same classes to really build relationships with the children.
My class is the five year old room. I am there to help two teachers, Deisy and Maria. Maria is Joel Savage’s wife and they run Savage Ministries, which is who we are partnering with this month. This is their school so the children really respect profesora Maria, they have also known her for one or two years!
Our room starts they day sitting in chairs in a circle then they are dismissed to sit at the tables we set up, they are stacked against a wall when they aren’t in use. The children then go by tables to chose a table choice. This time I usually try to help with the puzzles since they are difficult and I have the simple Spanish needed to guide them in it. The puzzle pieces can all fit no matter what so, the puzzles can look pretty interesting! After this they go into a time of learning. They sit in a circle and do their welcome song and the calendar and count and other things that are in Spanish, so I am not exactly sure what they are… They sometimes play competitive games at this time too and usually an art project of some sort. Next they wash their hands, then eat their snack, and then they play outside after this. During outside time I am often “kidnapped” and tied up or I think they might be cutting my limbs off, I’m not exactly sure. Sometimes I try to join their soccer, but these 5 year olds are fierce! After outside time they come in for several story lessons with questions that follow. They typically do a multi-step activity after that usually involves coloring or painting, then cutting and pasting as well. If they finish early then they play at their tables until it is time to go home.
Even though I have my degree in Early Childhood Education these five year olds are above my typical age. But, also, they are really mature and independent compared to five year olds in the states. This experience is stretching for me, especially because I don’t speak Spanish! God knew where I would grow the most and I am thankful He got through and put me in the room I would be the most uncomfortable in. It is in the uncomfortable that we grow the most!
Also this month we do sports ministry in the evenings. Our main goal in this is to build relationships with the community and show God’s love in how we play with one another. We usually play with three women in the community, Fernanda, Daysi, and Grettell. Others join us sometimes and our group has started to grow but those three are always consistently with us.
I love the relationships we have formed with these women. Daysi has adopted us as her own and always takes care of her team, she runs back and forth always hitting the ball over the net! But, she also makes sure we get home safely and lets us come visit her puppies whenever we want! Grettell has become our sassy sister, she has young children that play around our court and many of us are determined to get her youngest daughter to like us. Grettell is a fierce volleyball player and if she chooses you for her team you better not miss or she will give you pointers on hitting the ball. And now for Fernanda! She is definitely the mvp in volleyball! The court is in front of her house and they also own the net and the ball. Fernanda will be 18 this week, we can’t wait to celebrate her birthday with her! Fernanda has also started coming to church with us on Sundays! God has really laid all three of these women on all of our hearts and we all are pressing in to see what He can do in their lives!
Other evenings we are at the church, we also go there Sunday mornings to attend church.
Saturdays there is a children’s program that we help with, we perform a skit of their Bible story and prepare a game for the children. The women that run the program have songs and activities for the children. The dances that go with the songs are so fun and can become a literal workout!
On Wednesdays there is a church service. The songs are prepared ahead of time but three of us share something each week. Someone shares an encouraging word, someone else a testimony, and someone else a sermon. For most of us this is a very growing experience! This last week Jen and Sarah performed two songs for the congregation too, we plan on preparing a song that we can all sing together.
That is about it, oh and we play soccer sometimes. It has failed a few times though because no one showed up so we just did a prayer walk and prayed for people instead. Every day looks different here, one day we also helped out at a free medical clinic too. That was a blessing to be a part of, but also many of us are dealing with respiratory issues from the dust of the desert so it was a time for us to get some free healthcare as well.
Now, that is about it, maybe, there is probably more!
This ministry is on the move to cover the neighborhood it is in with God’s love. It has been a process for them and we are here to see just a small glimpse of what God is doing through them.
The neighborhood we are in is dirt roads? Maybe. They keep digging up and rerouting roads so sometimes there aren’t roads, so that is confusing! We struggle in getting taxis to bring us home because of the roads, but also the violence here. Yet, we feel completely safe because the leaders in this community like us, we teach their kids. But, we need to be alert and inside before dark.
Our feeling safe here is just a testament of all that God has done already!
Thank you all for allowing me to be here, I seriously could not be here without you!!
We are about to enter the month of April, which is our last month before we need to be fully funded. I am still over $2,700 from the fully funded mark. I ask that you would please pray about financially supporting this mission for me. If you are unable, I ask that you would share this with someone who is. I know God can do this, which is why I have not really talked about fundraising since I left, and He has been so faithful!!
Thank you again for all of your support and thank you for considering giving to allow me to stay on this mission!
